Out at the park

As per our normal routine, Adam and I went to the park today. And as usual, we met Sam and her crew. Robert and Adam chased each other all over the playground, but eventually stopped to play on the slides. Robert saw me with the camera and gave me a big smile. Adam, of course, is used to the camera so he barely notices when I have it out.

Watching the tube

This is how Adam watches his cartoons. He looks so big laying on the couch like that...(sniff, sniff).

Mr. Cool

Adam was looking super-cool in the car the other day...don't you agree?

Spring is here!

Even though Spring isn't supposed to start until March 20, it appears that Doha didn't get the message. Spring is in full bloom here in Doha! The weather is nice, except for the occasional sandstorm, but who's complaining? :P

The bougainvillea (I looked up the spelling) in our front garden has bloomed nicely, along with all the rest of the flowers around the compound. Even the malls have gotten into the spirit with the festive "flower-like" balloons. Everything looks so nice and colorful....we just need to enjoy it before it dies in the Summer!

Today's weather

Yuck, yuck, yuck!!!

We have been here too long...

The end of February marked 18 months of us living in Doha. I was talking to some friends about how things that astounded us when we first moved here are now considered normal and part of life. I started really thinking about it and came up with even more things, and I thought I would get them all down to share with you:

1. You are no longer surprised when someone blatantly goes to the start of the long line you are in and demands service.
2. When you are out driving, you expect someone to try and move into your lane....it's just normal behavior.
3. Roundabouts are no longer scary....and the fact that there are no rules to navigating them makes complete sense.
4. You are no longer surprised to see 3 men with a ladder come to change a light bulb or clean an air conditioner filter.
5. 90 degrees is now cool, and 50 is COLD!
6. Being stared at like you are some sort of alien doesn't faze you anymore (this one applies to females only).
7. Having your grocery bill total upwards of 700 (Riyals) is normal.
8. You say "same-same" to someone from a western country and they don't blink an eye.
9. Everything being closed on Fridays is no longer an imposition - it's just the way it is.
10. It is now normal to tell someone how to get somewhere using landmarks, not street names or numbers, as nothing here has a physical address.
11. You expect the guy behind you to blare his horn 2 milliseconds before the light turns green.
12. You are no longer shocked when you see sheep in the back of SUV's, sedans, and pickups.
13. You know what time it is when you hear the mosques during prayer time.
14. You know people that travel to Bahrain just to eat bacon and you get a little jealous.
15. You know that "Insha'allah" actually means "maybe, but probably not" (literal translation: God willing) and you accept it.
16. Staying up to watch a football game that comes on at midnight (3:00 pm in TX) is normal.
17. You see two men holding hands, touching noses, or kissing and it doesn't bother you.
18. You don't even try to hold hands with your spouse in public.
19. You say something is on "the other side of town" or "outside of town" when in fact it is only 10-15 minutes away.
20. When the grocery store has a new stock of macaroni and cheese, Bacardi margarita mix, or Dr. Pepper - you get excited and text message all of your friends!

Texas A&M Boot Scoot

Shane and I at our table

Our table (Steve, Stephanie, Mike, Amanda, Shane, Carrie and Ross)

Stephanie and Mike

Stephanie, Carrie, and Amanda


Mariah and Shane

Mariah and Steve with their "door" prize

Amanda and Shane showing off their T-shirt

We went to the annual Texas A&M Boot Scoot last night at the Intercontinental Hotel. Most of our friends were there....unfortunately there were some that weren't able to get tickets. :( The food was pretty good, for tex-mex in Doha anyway. The margaritas were very good - probably too good if you know what I mean! Shane and I got to dust off our dancing shoes and do a little two-stepping...but no line dancing, thank you! Our friends won the door prize, which was in fact a door! I think they are still in shock over it! There was a silent auction, so I bid on a few of the t-shirts, hoping that I would be victorious - and I was! I think I now have a grand total of 2 Aggie t-shirts. I know, I'm a 2-percenter! Overall it was a great night and I am glad that we went through all that hassle with the "Aggie Mafia" to get tickets!

Johnny Rockets and Chili's

The weekend doesn't seem complete these days if we don't eat at one of these fine Doha establishments. Well, this weekend, we ate at both of them! Adam got into the spirit with a Johnny Rockets hat and was very impressed with the batch of macaroni and cheese from Chili's!

Afternoon stroll

The weather is so beautiful right now, so we are trying to take advantage of it every way we can. After Adam woke from his afternoon nap, we took him riding around the compound. He is getting pretty good with the tricycle now....I should be able to take the handle off soon. He still tires out after a while, and also doesn't go very fast, so he isn't able to make it over the speed bumps.

Dog days of Doha

Fridays are normally lazy days around here. Due to it being 'holy day' for the Muslims, nothing is open until the evening, so there isn't really anything else to do but lay around the house. As you can see, our dogs have a really hard life here! Don't they just look mistreated (aside from the fact they are in desperate need for a haircut!). Adam joined right in with them, too!